Engaging Your Board in Fundraising2 to 3 hours

Leadership is the single most important factor in successful fundraising. For today’s donor, leadership starts at the very top of the organization. Unfortunately, many boards are not recruited with raising money in mind; organizations struggle with how to engage their board in effective fundraising. There are many roles board members can play in the philanthropic process. This workshop looks at those roles and presents practical solutions for engaging your board.

A Culture of Philanthropy = Fundraising Success3 to 4 hours

An organization-wide philanthropic culture enhances fundraising results, strengthens relationships and leads to mission fulfillment. A philanthropic culture is the polar opposite of conducting fund development planning and activities in isolation. Instead, leaders, staff and volunteers all understand they are part of the fundraising team, and that every interaction with the public contributes to fundraising. This session will introduce you to the power of philanthropic culture, provide indicators, and explore how you can use it to strengthen overall organizational capacity and enhance your fundraising results.

The Power of Planning3 to 4 hours

Canadian donors are becoming more savvy every day. Plus, recent economic changes mean the landscape is more competitive than ever. Does your organization's plan for the future include fund development? Do you have clear goals and objectives that provide a road map for success? Or do you rely on a calendar of events, or an annual plan, to annually plan? This session explores the planning process, different types of plans and the key elements to include. Most importantly, it addresses how to engage your board and leadership in the fund development process so you are assured of a plan that works.

Fund Development Trends1.5 to 2 hours

What's happening "out there" often determines what can and will happen within your organization. Fundraising involves reaching out to the community; you need to know what's influencing the fundraising climate so you can maximize your efforts and ensure your planning is relevant. This presentation reviews current trends in fund development, the giving environment and in the Canadian non-profit sector in general.

Don’t get us wrong. It is just that we don’t think any of us can influence the personal motivation of a donor. They motivate themselves. We don’t mean we can’t help them find out what motivates them. As a matter of fact, we think we can help them quite a bit. But please be certain, it’s NOT about motivating donors; it’s about finding their motivations! It’s not about being clever or about discovering the secret as to why people give. It’s all about taking the time to learn, why and how people motivate themselves and make decisions to give. This presentation is a lively, interactive and thought provoking session where we share our real-life experiences in working with major donors and helping them find their passions, personal insights and self-motivations.

Origins of Giving . . . Affairs of the Heart1.5 to 3 hours

"Origins" is a research project centered on major gift donors’ philanthropic spirit using interviews with 25 Alberta based donors. The project details the conversation that allied professionals and fund development professionals can attain with major gift donors in order to better understand the roots and depth of their philanthropic interests. Co-presented with Dr. Tony Myers, an Alberta-based fund development consultant.

Against all oddsBuilding a philanthropic culture in a land of skeptics1.5 hours

Those who’ve been most successful know it works from the inside out. Building a philanthropic culture for your organization begins at home. And if it works at home, it generally succeeds. Learn how two experienced fundraisers spent their time transforming philanthropic cultures in more than 30 organizations through staff, volunteer and consulting roles. You too, can, against all odds, build a philanthropic culture in a land of skeptics. Co-presented with Dr. Tony Myers, an Alberta-based fund development consultant.